Scanning Probe Microscopy beyond Imaging: A General Tool for Quantitative Analysis

A simple, fast and general approach for quantitative analysis of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) images is reported. As a proof of concept it is used to determine with a high degree of precision the value of observables such as 1) the height, 2) the flowing current and 3) the corresponding surface potential (SP) of flat nanostructures such as gold electrodes, organic semiconductor architectures and graphenic sheets. Despite histogram analysis, or frequency count (Fc), being the most common mathematical tool used to analyse SPM images, the analytical approach is still lacking. By using the mathematical relationship between Fc and the collected data, the proposed method allows quantitative information on observable values close to the noise level to be gained. For instance, the thickness of nanostructures deposited on very rough substrates can be quantified, and this makes it possible to distinguish the contribution of an adsorbed nanostructure from that of the underlying substrate. Being non‐numerical, this versatile analytical approach is a useful and general tool for quantitative analysis of the Fc that enables all signals acquired and recorded by an SPM data array to be studied with high precision.     

Optimisation of analytical procedures for the quantification of ionic and carbonaceous fractions in the atmospheric aerosol and applications to ambient samples

In the last decade, our research group set up and optimised analytical techniques for the characterisation of the major components of atmospheric aerosol (i.e. secondary inorganic ions and carbonaceous material) and source markers (e.g. levoglucosan, carbonates). In this study, we present a complete overview on the most problematic aspects that can be encountered during the quantification of the two main components of aerosol, i.e. the ionic and carbonaceous fractions. More in detail, different liquid chromatographic approaches were set up for main ions and anhydrosugars determination. Quality assurance procedures (i.e. tests on data reliability) were applied during the set-up phase and they are presented in this work. As regards the carbonaceous component characterisation, two evolved gas analysis techniques were set up and applied: the thermogravimetric technique coupled to the Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (TGA/FTIR) and the thermal–optical transmittance method (TOT). A suitable protocol for organic and elemental carbon separation was set up for the TGA/FTIR system and a comparison with the results obtained by the TOT method was carried out. Studies on the impact of filter load, field blanks, and sample composition on OC/EC quantification by the TOT method were performed. Moreover, approaches for carbonate carbon quantification on different kinds of filters were developed. It was demonstrated that this approach allows to reach the ionic balance in samples impacted by carbonate compounds. The optimised methods have been applied for the analysis of thousands of PM filters allowing the obtainment of reliable results.     

Cycloolefin Copolymers by Early and Late Transition Metal Catalysts

The complex [Pd(κ²‐P,O‐{2‐(2‐MeOC₆H₄)₂P}C₆H₄SO₃)Me(dmso)] ( 1 ) is investigated for the copolymerization of (E) with norbornene (N) and functionalized N derivatives affording P(E‐co‐N) in excellent yields. Copolymer molar masses are higher than those of PE and increase with N concentration. In addition, the complex [Ti(κ²‐N,O‐{2,6‐F₂C₆H₃N = C(Me)C(H) = C(CF₃)O})₂Cl₂] ( 2 ) is evaluated as catalyst for living E‐co‐N copolymerization upon activation with dried methylaluminoxane between 25 and 90 °C. Copolymerization at different [N]/[E] feed ratios affords stereoirregular alternating high molar mass P(E‐co‐N) with narrow molar mass distribution. P(E‐co‐N) living copolymerization is demonstrated by kinetics at 50 °C. Block copolymers are synthesized and fully characterized.

     

Application of umbelliferone molecularly imprinted polymer in analysis of plant samples

The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesised and the influence of the type of porogen, the nature of sample solvent, and the binding capacity of material were tested by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Umbelliferone was used as the template for imprint formation. Methacrylic acid was used as the monomer and acetonitrile, ethanol, and chloroform as porogen. Non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) were prepared by the same procedure. The highest value of the specific binding capacity (269 μg of umbelliferone per 100 mg of polymer) was obtained for polymers prepared in chloroform as porogen and methanol/water (φ _r = 1: 1) as the sample solvent. The group-selective MIP was used as sorbent for the SPE pre-treatment of umbelliferone from plant extracts prior to HPLC analysis. Analysis of the spiked samples showed good recoveries (> 77 %). The limit of detection, limit of determination, and repeatability of the method were also calculated.     

Synthesis of Different 3,5‐Diazidofuranoses: A New and General Synthesis Pathway

Diamino‐ and diazidofuranoses represent useful precursors, for example, for the synthesis of substituted nucleosides and metal complexes, respectively. Known procedures for their synthesis lack the availability of cheap starting materials, adequate yields, and the access to all possible diastereomeres. Therefore, 3,5‐diazido‐3,5‐dideoxy‐ and ‐2,3,5‐trideoxyfuranoses both with ribo‐ and xylo‐configuration were prepared using different approaches.     

Higher-order Sobolev embeddings and isoperimetric inequalities

Optimal higher-order Sobolev type embeddings are shown to follow via isoperimetric inequalities. This establishes a higher-order analogue of a well-known link between first-order Sobolev embeddings and isoperimetric inequalities. Sobolev type inequalities of any order, involving arbitrary rearrangement-invariant norms, on open sets in Rⁿ${\mathbb{R}}^n$, possibly endowed with a measure density, are reduced to much simpler one-dimensional inequalities for suitable integral operators depending on the isoperimetric function of the relevant sets. As a consequence, the optimal target space in the relevant Sobolev embeddings can be determined both in standard and in non-standard classes of function spaces and underlying measure spaces. In particular, our results are applied to any-order Sobolev embeddings in regular (John) domains of the Euclidean space, in Maz'ya classes of (possibly irregular) Euclidean domains described in terms of their isoperimetric function, and in families of product probability spaces, of which the Gauss space is a classical instance.     

Validation of a coupled FE-model for the simulation of methane oxidation via thermal imaging

To simulate the processes of methane oxidation in landfill cover layers, a new computational model was created. The purpose of the model is to allow a forecast on the performance of methanotrophic activity in landfill cover layers under changing environmental conditions. Therefore, a thermodynamic consistent model based on the well-known Theory of Porous Media (TPM) combined with the mixture theory was developed, which analyzes the relevant gas productions of methane, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Diffusion, advection and conversion processes are considered as well as the energy production during methane oxidation. With the help of the thermal imaging technique a new experimental setup was developed in order to validate the coupled model in terms of the heat generation. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)